Coreopsis plant named ‘Razzle Dazzle’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Coreopsis  plant named, ‘Razzle Dazzle’, that is characterized by its densely branched, compact, sturdy plant habit, its small, nearly sterile inflorescences with ray florets that are white in color with a large bright purple eye, its floriferous and long bloom season that does not require deadheading, its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 5, and its resistance to powdery mildew and leaf spot.

Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Razzle Dazzle’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of a plantbotanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis. The new cultivarwill be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name ‘Razzle Dazzle’.‘Razzle Dazzle’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape andcontainer use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program inHubbardston, Mass. The objective of the breeding program is to develophybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior gardenattributes. In particular, to develop long-lived cultivars, in a widerange of flower colors and plant forms, that are sturdy, exhibit a trueperennial habit, and are cold hardy to at least U.S.D.A Zone 5.

The new cultivar arose from a cross made by the Inventor in August of2010 in his test garden in Hubbardston, Mass. between an unnamed,proprietary plant in the Inventor's breeding program, reference no. J06-1 (not patented), as the female parent and pollen that was pooledfrom a variety of unnamed, proprietary plants (not patented) from hisbreeding program as the male parent (all nearly sterile). The exact maleparentage is therefore unknown. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ was selected inSeptember of 2011 as a single unique plant amongst the resultingseedlings.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings under the direction of the Inventor in Kensington, Conn. inSeptember of 2011. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determinedthat the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Razzle Dazzle’ as unique cultivar of Coreopsis.

-   -   1. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ exhibits a densely branched, compact, sturdy        plant habit reaching an average of 40 cm in height and 50 cm in        width.    -   2. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ exhibits small, nearly sterile inflorescences        with ray florets that are white in color with a large bright        purple eye.    -   3. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ exhibits a floriferous and long bloom season        that does not require deadheading, beginning in early July and        lasting until hard frost in Kensington, Conn.    -   4. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ exhibits cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A.        Zone 5.    -   5. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ exhibits resistance to powdery mildew and        leaf spot.

The female parent of ‘Razzle Dazzle’, J 06-1, differs from ‘RazzleDazzle’ in having flowers that are bright yellow in color, in beingtaller in height, and in having stems that tend to flop. ‘Razzle Dazzle’can be compared to the Coreopsis cultivars ‘Show Stopper’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 22,671) and ‘Snowberry’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,560). ‘ShowStopper’ is similar to ‘Razzle Dazzle’ in having flowers that areprimarily purple in color. ‘Show Stopper’ differs from ‘Razzle Dazzle’in being much taller in height and in having a more open plant habit.‘Snowberry’ is similar to ‘Razzle Dazzle’ in having a compact planthabit and in having inflorescences with ray florets that are white andpurple. ‘Snowberry’ differs from ‘Razzle Dazzle’ in having flowers thatare primarily white in color with a small purple eye and in beingsusceptible to powdery mildew when grown under similar conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs weretaken of a three month-old plant of ‘Razzle Dazzle’ as grown outdoors ina one-gallon container from a 30-cell liner in Kensington, Conn.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a top view of a plant of ‘RazzleDazzle’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescencesof ‘Razzle Dazzle’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the newCoreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of three month-old plants of‘Razzle Dazzle’ as grown outdoors in a one-gallon container from 30-cellliners in Kensington, Conn. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, asit has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color, terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from early July until hard frost in            Connecticut.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, densely branched, compact.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 40 cm in height and 50 cm            in width.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A Zone 5.        -   Diseases resistance.—Has been observed to be highly            resistant to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis) and leaf            spot (Pseudomonas cichorii).        -   Root description.—Fibrous when young, becoming fleshy with            age.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Oval, ridged.        -   Stem color.—Young; 144A to 144B, mature; 141A.        -   Stem size.—Main and secondary stems; an average of 27 cm in            length and 1.5 mm in width, tertiary stems; 8.5 cm in length            and 1 mm in width.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.        -   Stem aspect.—Upright.        -   Branching habit.—Well-branched, an average of 5 main            branches, 3 secondary branches per main stem, and 3 tertiary            branches.        -   Internode length.—An average of 3 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire to trifid.        -   Leaf size.—Variable, up to 5.5 cm in length and 4 mm in            width when entire, up to 4.5 cm in length and 2 cm in width            when lobed.        -   Leaf shape.—Oblanceolate to ensiform when entire, lobes            oblanceolate to ensiform.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, matches leaf color on            upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous on upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper and lower surface; 143A to 143B,            mature upper and lower surface; 137A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Composite with a single row of ray            florets surrounding disk florets in the center, forming a            radiant head, inflorescences are borne on branch terminals            in loose corymbs.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—8 to 10 days until senescence            of ray flowers, longer in cool temperatures, bracts and disk            flowers are persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—An average of 30 per main            branch.        -   Inflorescence size.—Corymbs; an average of 6 cm in length            and width, composite; an average of 1 cm in depth and up to            4 cm in diameter.        -   Inflorescence buds.—An average of 4 mm in depth and in            diameter, spherical in shape with a flattened top, color; a            blend of 137C and 163A to 163B with N186A at the top center.        -   Peduncle.—An average of 3.5 cm in length and 1 mm in width,            glabrous surface, 144A to 144B in color.        -   Pedicle.—An average of 3 cm in length and 0.8 mm in width,            glabrous surface, 144A to 144B in color.        -   Sepals.—An average of 7, 3 mm in length and 1 mm in width,            color; a blend of 144A and 137C with margins 150C.-   Involucral bracts:    -   -   Bract number.—8 total, 4 outer bracts and 4 inner bracts.        -   Bract arrangement.—Bracts are un-fused and overlapping            surrounding the receptacle in a campanulate form and held            close to lower surface of ray florets.        -   Bract size.—Outer and inner bracts; an average of 1.2 cm in            length and 2.5 mm in width.        -   Bract color.—Inner bracts and outer bracts translucent;            apex, 13A, base 137C, and margins 2C.        -   Bract texture.—Glabrous on outer and inner surfaces of outer            and inner bracts.        -   Bract apex.—Acute to rounded on outer and inner bracts.        -   Bract base.—Truncate on inner and outer bracts.        -   Bract margins.—Entire on outer and inner bracts.        -   Bract shape.—Outer and inner bracts; oblanceolate to oblong.-   Ray florets (sterile):    -   -   Number.—An average of 8 arranged primarily in one row.        -   Shape.—Oval to oblong.        -   Size.—An average of 1.7 cm in length and 6 mm in width.        -   Apex.—2 notched.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margins.—Entire with apex notched.        -   Aspect.—Held outward to slightly upward.        -   Texture.—Glabrous on upper and lower surface.        -   Color.—When opening and when fully open upper surface; 2A to            2D with base (large eye) N186D, when opening and when fully            opened lower surface; 2D with base (large eye) a blend of            64A and 59B.-   Disk flowers (perfect):    -   -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared at apex.        -   Number.—About 80.        -   Size.—About 4 mm in length and 0.7 mm in width.        -   Color.—En masse; 183A, corolla tube 2A to 2C; with apices            178A to 178D in color.        -   Receptacle.—About 3 mm in diameter and 1 mm in depth, a 139B            in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers are perfect, ray flowers are sterile.        -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, 4 mm in length, style is very fine,            translucent and 2D in color, stigma is 178A in color, ovary            is 1 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width, inferior, and 2C in            color.        -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style,            2 mm in length and 0.2 mm in width, about N186C in color,            pollen is very low in quantity.        -   Fruit/seed.—No fruit or seed development was observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named‘Razzle Dazzle’ as herein illustrated and described.